The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-01-06
THE FIRST BLOOD.
fioutanant Brownell Tells the
story Of Colonel Ellis
worth's Death.

1T was early in the spring of 1861"
aid lieutenant Frank E. Brownell to
tbe Tribune in referring to the death of
folonel E. Z. Ellsworth. whose tragic
snd caused such sensation at the out
break Of the war. Lieutenant Brownell
ba retired army officer and is also
sDecial examiner in the pension Office
st this city. The matter of Colonel
Elsworth's death has been recently re-
vved by the appointment to office of
Miss Amelia Jackson, daughter OF
the man who fired the shot that ended
the brave young officers life.
Ihad formed the acquaintance of
Colonel Ellsworth when we were both
Young men," continued Lieutenant
Brownell "Iwas scarcely sixteen when
We first met. l formed a strong attach
meni for him upon our first meeting,
but | little thought how the future
zould bring us together. Colonel
Ellsworth was but little older than my
seli. In fact when he met his death he
was only twenty -four years old. Very
early in life he saw the weakness of the
military condition of the country and
realized the need Of more thorough
discipline among the militia He eseemed
to have a presentiment of the coming
war. When mere boy he left the
town Of Mechanicsville, twelve miles
IRON Troy, N. Y, where he was born,
and vent to New York City. He had
nothing but a common school educa-
ton, but labored hard during his leisure
moments to fit himself to enter West
Po'nt. He failed to secure cadetship,
however, having no influential friends,
and soon afterward started for Chicago.
twas in the latter city that he formed
hls famous company of zouaves. He
vas very poor in those days, and in his
diary that his parents gave me after his
i death there are notes that show that
sometimes he actually went hungry for
an entire day. His company of zouaves
was composed of young men of about
ms own age, and when they made their
famous tour through the North they not
only created positive furore, but they
showed the people what could be done
grlgid discipline. During their entire
UP not member of the company
sept on bed unless he was sick, but
every night each man rolled himself up
y his blanket and slept on the armory
a0or. Ellsworth inspired his men with
ne same love of military glory that
mled his own breast. Every city they
VISITED was wrought up to frenzy of
emu luslasm BY the brilliant evolutions
na marvellous drill of the company.
1 When they visited Troy there was
| great excitement, and / had further
opportunity to extend my acquaintance
Mn Their gallant young commander,
atso members of his company were
0la friends of mine.
~ was after the zouaves returned
chicago and disbanded, l believe,
natyoung Ellsworth first met Abraham
Lincoln. Ellsworth had began the
s,uoy OF law. and when MIR. Lincoln
Saeieo him an opportunity to complete
~ ~ Audles in his Office at Springfield
hhssWorth hsn jumped at the chance. He
Sl'ssed that Mr.. Lincoln would be
ascsed President. and if he was he saw
~ possibility that he might be in 3
s,eon 70 attain the greatest hope ol
~ me. President Lincoln recognized
I'M oilcially soon after his election
~ aus protege was thus placed on the
WV ROAD to success. Early in 1861 be
sea' 70 New York with the expires:
EMpose OF raising a regiment. Upor
se,.., s,Ilvai at the metropolis he had /,
sasaIsatlon with the fire commission
~ anu think it was Sunday morning
~. = ~, read in the New York papers
as Alisworth was in New York for tn,
4pVse OF raising men. l was living
ii Troy at that time with M
asI' ss.s All day Saturday deliberatet
lssaa.er ,aer q not | should join with him
l.s lsa.ea 70 go to the war and believed
tsss y would be a long time befor
| lams uoaid be a regiment raised a
ia sunday morning l decides
no,h h and knowing that m
maer would make objection
s..y plans, concluded to avoid
istt ,s's snd accordingly left for Ne,
sSs,a r '1aI Z night without telling any on
plssssi was going. Notices had beel
In Sv y All the FIRE engine houses a
so,,l l41lk stating the fact that Ellis
sAsn,aa ,asended raising regiment, an
~ others had hard trouble I
q mas aay large number of men in week
fse ,nsas' asa It was only few days b,
Asas .p 8 men had signed his roll,
Sers..s y tnese were men from the fiji
spIr;s ;nent and were full of life an
somm.in Inc Prominence of the youn
Il fsauer, the readiness with whic
tin I ~ men who were ready to folio
III psasae NV sae relations he sustained ,
ssoent Az tended to create